Southern-Style Greens with Polenta Croutons

In the South, hearty greens are cooked low and slow in a lot of water to make a rich-tasting broth. Here, we’ve added beans and crisp polenta cubes (a ready-made stand-in for grits) for a comfort-food dish with a modern twist.

4Servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup dry adzuki beans

4 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced (2 cups)

3/4 cup diced tomatoes (1/2 15-oz. can)

12-oz. bunch curly kale or collards, thinly sliced (8 cups)

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

1 tsp. finely chopped jalapeno chile, or more to taste

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, optional

1 16-oz. pkg. prepared polenta, cut into 3/4-inch cubes

Preparation

1 Soak beans in 4 cups cold water in bowl overnight, drain.

2 Bring beans and 4 cups water to a boil in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender. Drain, and keep warm, or store in refrigerator or freezer.

3 Heat 2 Tbs. oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 7 to 9 minutes, or until beginning to turn deep brown on edges. Add tomatoes, and cook 1 minute,
or until liquid has evaporated. Add kale, broth, garlic, jalapeño,
and 2 cups water. Season with salt and pepper, if using. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 45 minutes, or until kale
is very tender.

4 Heat remaining 2 Tbs. oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add polenta cubes and cook 6 to 7 minutes, gently separating (but not stirring) cubes to prevent sticking. Turn polenta cubes, and cook 5 to 7 minutes more, or until two or more sides are browned, turning as needed.

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